Apparatus for producing a vacuum for vacuum-cleaning and dustremoving purposes



B. C. JOY.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A VACUUM FOR VACUUM CLEANING AND DUST REIVIOVING PURPOSES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- IG. |920.

Patented July 19, LDZL In Venier @d torney.

/ f/fI BERTRAM CHARLES JOY, 0F HEMPSTEAD, LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A 'VACUUM FOR VACUUM-CLEANING- AND DUST- REMO'VING PURPOSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.- Patentd July 19, 192i..

Application led February 16, 19.20. Serial No. 358,872.

To 7l fr0/mm it may concern.'

Be it known that I, BERTRAM CHARLES flor, formerly of 8 DenningtonPark Road, Test Hempstead, London, N.v WV. 6, and now of t Holmdale Mansions, Holnidale Road, Hempstead, London, N. W.4 6, England, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in or Relating to Apparatus fory Producing a Vacuum for VacuumCleaning and Dust-Removing Purposes. p

This invention relates to apparatus for creating a partial vacuiun 'by means of the explosion of a combustible in a chamber and the ejection of its contents through an automatically opening outlet valve and has for' its object to effect dust removal and vacuum cleaning.

According to this invention automatically operating means for creating a partial vacuum comprises a single straight pistonless explosion chamber of considerable height as compared with its transverse dimensions, an inletv for air and gas or an inlet for air and an inlet for gas at or near the lower end oi said chamber, an outlet valve adapted to be opened by superior pressure within said chamber, at, near or connected with the upper end of said vchamber and means situated above the level of said air and gas inlet or inlets for igniting an explosive gaseous mixture in said chamber.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 of which shows in sectional elevation one formof apparatus adapted for use in conjunction with any usual form of slotted or other dust nozzle 4 connected therewith by a flexible tube and external casing 6,' and is provided with an inlet tubo c leading from outsideofthe casing to near the bottom ofsaid chamber, and with anoutlet tube Z furnished with a non-return valve e, leadingfrom the top of the chamber to the outside of the casing 79,

where it is connected with a long exhaust pipe (Z1. Near its top the chamber a is provided with a pipe f leadingto the outside of the casing I) where itis furnished with a cock g and a nozzle h adapted for the @te tachme'nt thereto of a suction device, such as a pair of bellows for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained, while at its bottom said chamber is provided with a similar pipe j for drainingpurposes. Atene side and at about one quarterpfjthe height of the chamber a said chamber is provided with a lateral Lextension in the form of a pipe 7s leading to the outside of the casing b and provided with a metal covering plate m about one-sixteenth of an inch thick pierced by a smallphole a, having a diameter of about one-sixteenth of an inch while a Bunsen burner o is disposed adjacent the plate m `so that its liame plays on saidplate and over the hole n, and a sheet metal guard p is pivoted at g to the casing b so as, on the one hand, to inclose the fiame and prevent accidental contact of clothing or the like there-y with, or extinction of the flame by a current of air, and, on the other hand,A to enable access to be obtained to the burner 0' to light the gals. A hole p is provided in the guard p to'permit discharge ofthe gases escaping through the hole n, so that the flame of the burner 0 may not'be extinguished. The casing b which is closed by a cover r having a steam escape hole s isnormally charged with water for cooling the chamber@ and is provided with a draw-off cock t, from which hot water may be drawn-off forl domestic pur-` poses. A

Theinlet pipe c communicates outside the casing b with `a mixing vchamber u into which leads an airinlet suction pipe 'c furnished with a non-return valve'w and adapted to be connected by a flexible pipe o with a suitable dust chamber, dust screen or like dust separating `device and with a slotted dust ,nozzle or the like Aof usual construction, which is adapted to be moved over and in. contact 'with the carpet orother fabric to be cleaned. If desired the dust separat ing devieemay be secured to the casing l), or otherwise suitably, and linterposed between'the flexible pipe oand the air inlet suction pipe fu. In open communication with the `mixing chamber* u, and *consequentlv with the combustion'lchamber a,

through a circular seriesof ports .ce and a.'

screenv jz/L composedlof one or more sheets of' wire gauze 'or thelike,fis pipe z, coiled npon'itselfadjacent the casing andy con neeted" through a flexible pressure regulating bee 11 with a coal ses Supply Pipe l2.,

furnished with a cock 13, While the pipe e' is furnished With an adjusting screw Valve 14. f

AssumingV the apparatus Vto be full of air,

ing chamber u rand theV inletipipe c. The

gasthus drawn in mixes: with the air at the bottom of the combustion chamber Va and as-the gaseous mixture folloivstheair and? products of combustion asa more or 4lessV separate stratum Vand ;does"not mix there` with to any appreciable extent; Further Vthe Y delayed zadmission of coalgas eectually prevents prefigniti'on of the entering gas by-v burning products of the previous explosion Whichmaybelingeringat the bottom ofthe atongue of flame isdrawn in through the aperture/yi. As soon as or about the time, the level ofthe gaseous mixture reaches the level of the aperture n, said mixture explodesand the Vgreater part of the contents of the chamber areA expelled through the outlet pipe (Z, the valve e automatically opening, At .the same time aportion of the products of 4combustion is -driven'back through,v the in- -V letpipe @mixing chamber u, ports 95 and screen y, into fthepipe z (butnot so V.far as the batel1)-and drivesback the gas in said' pipe, VThe remainder of theair and products of combusticnleft` in the chamber a, are

rapidly cooled. by the surrounding Walls and oncontraction create a partial vacuum, close the valveqe and draw in air through the air inletsuction pipe e l(the `valve w opening. automatically), and products of combustion throughjthe pipe a The airV and products of combustion thus ldrawn in rise in the chamber aas aseparate: stratum anddo not mix .Withthe air' and products of combustion already Vtherein and are followed, When the Vproducts of combustion in the pipe e have been Withdrawn therefrom, by a gaseous mixture resulting `from the simultaneous :entrance to `themixing 'chamber' u fand from opposite Vsides thereof, loli-gasY pipe Ae and air through the Y through the pipe 7U. Y Y,

f .Theadmission of gas to the combustion chamber a is thus delayed until after a por-v tion ofthe `air has been drawn into said chamber :thus effecting an economy of gas chamber a, 7in the :inlet pipe c, or in the mixing chamber Duringthe `Whole of lthe suction period a tongue :of aflame ,is drawn .in through the faperture n but 'vvith-V out producing an-y 'explosion until the: level of the gaseous mixture lreachesthatV @if said aperture, when an explosion takes place automatically closing the inlet valve fw, open- 'ing the outletvalve e andinitiating another valve lwshouldlbelimited so as to slightly restrict the flow of air therethrough in order to preventV air entering the explosion chamber.A a so rapid-ly as, on the `one hand, to upset,or tendto upset',strati cation of the contents of the chamber, and, cn' the other hand, try-interfere with the drawing inet1 the llame through the hole n, both of Which would cause unreliable Working. 1 Theprovision of Va long exhaust pipe tl is ldesirable,,though not essential, as the inertia of the gases-flowing therethrough tends te increase the degree voi: vacuum attained in theV apparatus and if desired the exhaust valve e Vmay be placed at the'outlet end of the exhaust pipe d.- Further, air and gas inlets may be arranged to, enter the chamber a from opposite sides thereof, the end of the explosion chamber constituting a mixing chamber, andthe valves e ,and fwjmay, if desired, befurnished ivithsprings.

Insome cases electric or other means oi ignition maybe provided, but it has been foundnthat the touch-holev means hereinabcvedescribed are eminently suitable, being very simple and notvlikely to `fail, While the loss oil' vvacuum pressure due to the aperture 100 a isnegligible. The apparatusimay be disposed in any 'convenient part of a building and connected with any otherpart by means of a long flexiblev pipe as is usual `with vacuum clean- Ving apparatus ot more-of less stationary type, o r fixed pipe connections may be provided, such lixed pipes being `furnished at suitable points-With.means forcoupling thereto a lexiblepipe `andusual dust nozzle.

Iclaimz-A v For lvacuum Vcleaning apparatus, autematically yoperating means VYfor VCreating fa' partial'vacuum, comprising a pistenless 'expjlosion chamber ofconsiderable Vlength as Vcompared,with its transverse dimensions, anl

inlet for airand gas near one end of said chamber, a' mixing chamber communicating Withfsaid'inlet, a-s'creen ofreticulated material adjacent-said mixing chamber, av gas 120 supply pipe in open .communication with ,said explosion chamber through `said screen and-saidymixing' chamber and inlet, an air inlet suction pipe openingzinto ,said mixing chamber: adjacent said `gas supply pipe, a 125 nenfreturn-valvefin said air'inlet.` pipe, Van outletyal ve connected with the4 other end ot said". chamber `and i adapted to be opened byvsuperior pressure Within `said chamber, and meansfor igniting-an. explosive gaseous 139 :realises mixture in said chamber, the arrangement being such that When an explosion tales place in the explosion chamber, the gas supply is driven back in the gas supply pipe and replaced by products of combustion, so that the latter must be Withdrawn from the gas supply pipe at the same time that air is drawn in through the air inlet suction pipe, before gas and air can be drawn in simultaneously.

2. For vacuum cleaning apparatus, automatically operating means for creating a partial vacuum, comprising a pistonless explosion chamber of considerable length as compared With its transverse dimensions, an inlet for air and gas near one end of said chamber, a mixing chamber communicating with said inlet, a screen of reticulated materia-l adjacent said mixing chamber, a gas supply pipe in open communication with said explosion chamber through said screen and said mixing chamber and inlet, an air inlet suction pipe opening into said mixing chamber' adjacent said gas supply pipe, a non-return valve in said air inlet pipe, an outlet valve connected with the other end olE said chamber and adapted to be opened by superior pressure Within said chamber, and means for igniting an explosive gaseous mixture in said chamber, said means being situated between the inlet for gas and air and the outlet valve, the arrangement being such that When an explosion takes place in the explosion chamber, the gas supply is driven back in the gas supply pipe and replaced by products of combustion, so that the latter must be Withdrawn from the gas supply pipe at the same time that air is drawn in through the airinlet suction pipe,

before gas and air can be drawn in simul-v taneously.

3. For vacuum cleaning apparatus, automatically operating means for creating a partial vacuum, comprising a pistonless explosion chamber ot considerable length as compared With its transverse dimensions, an inlet for air and gas near one end of said chamber, an outlet valve connected With the other end ot said chamber and adapted to be opened by superior pressure within said chamber, and means for igniting an explosive gaseous mixture in said chamber, said means comprising a gas burner, a plate on the Wall of the explosion chamber, said plate being provided with a small aperture in constant communication with the interior of said explosion chamber, the flame issuing from said burner being directed toward and normally playing against said apertured plate, a tongue of flame being sucked into said explosion chamber Without the employment of any valve when a partial vacuum is created in said chamber.

4c. For vacuum cleaning apparatus, automatically operating means for creating a partial vacuum, comprising a pistonless explosion chamber of considerable length as compared with its transverse dimensions, an inlet for air and gas near one end of saidchamber, a mixing chamber communr eating with said inlet, a screen of reticulated material adjacent said mixing chamber, a gas supply pipe in open communication with said explosion chamber through said screen and said mixing chamber and inlet, an air inlet suction pipe opening into said mixing chamber adjacent said gas supply pipe, a non-return valve in said air inlet pipe, an outlet valve connected with the other end of said chamber and adapted to be opened by superior pressure Within said chamber, and means for igniting an explosive gaseous mixture in said chamber, said means being situated between the inlet for gas and air and the outlet valve and comprising a gas burner, a plate on the Wall of the explosion chamber, said plate being provided vvith small aperture in constant communication with the interior of said explosion chamber, the flame issuing from said burner being directed toward and normally playing against said apertured plate, a tongue of flame being sucked into said explosion chamber Without the employment of any valve when a partial vacuum is created in said chamber, the arrangement being such that When an explosion takes place in the ex plosion chamber, the gas supply is driven back in the gas supply pipe and replaced by products of combustion, so that the latter must be withdrawn from the gas supply pipe at the same time that air is drawn in through the air inlet suction pipe, before gas and air can be drawn in simultaneously.

BERTRAM CHARLES JOY. 

